


At Joe's

by seratonation



Category: Stargate Atlantis
Genre: Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, F/M, M/M, Repetition, what if au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2008-05-03
Updated: 2008-05-03
Packaged: 2017-11-02 06:25:29
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,196
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/365927
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/seratonation/pseuds/seratonation
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A What If AU. What if John hadn't joined the Air Force? What if he was miserable?</p>
            </blockquote>





	At Joe's

**Author's Note:**

> My first SGA fic. Joe the bartender isn't mine, I borrowed him from Grey's Anatomy.

It was the same every time. He’d go into Joe’s, depressed and exhausted, regretting his choice of taking a real job instead of joining the Air Force. He still remembers the day he made the choice. There had been a lot of yelling. He’d really only done it to spite his father and now his father was long dead and it didn’t matter anymore.

 

So he’d sit at the bar and drink until everything was blurry around the edges – Joe would never say anything because he knew John’s whole life was within a five-minute radius of the bar – and then someone would approach him. 

 

“Is this seat taken?” the young blond said.

 

He shook his head and she sat down.

 

“I’m Hannah,” she said.

 

“John,” he replied, sending a smile that was sure to make her knees go weak.

 

“Do I know you from somewhere?”

 

“Maybe,” he said, “we could go to my place and discuss it.” There was a lift just after the last word, making it sound more like a question.

 

“Sure.” 

 

It was as simple as that. They’d be kissing furiously before they reached the bedroom and the sex was fast, hard and dirty. She’d always be gone the next morning.

 

***

 

It was the same every time. He’d go into Joe’s, depressed and exhausted, regretting his choice of taking a real job instead of joining the Air Force. He could have been flying for a living.

 

So he’d sit at the bar and drink until everything was blurry around the edges and then someone would approach him. 

 

“Is this seat taken?” the guy asked.

 

He shook his head and the guy sat down.

 

“I saw you coming into the university today, I work there. Dr. Rodney McKay.”

 

“ ‘m John.” he said, glancing at tonight’s stranger. He wasn’t what you’d call conventionally attractive but his eyes were a startling blue and he thought he’d enjoy seeing them dark with pleasure.

 

“So what do you do at the university?” he asked sending all the signals. He’s had years of practice, so the half turn, the suggestive tone, the smile that made anyone want to fuck him on the spot, came naturally.

 

“My research is based there, I’m an astrophysicist,” he said, not even noticing.

 

“Oh?” he asked, “what do you research?”

 

“Wormholes mostly,” he paused as Joe refilled his cup, “but it’s largely theoretical…” 

 

As Rodney talked on to explain, John wasn’t sure why he wasn’t directing this conversation in to the same direction as all the others. But he liked to hear this man talk, so he let him, asking questions and prodding him to talk more.

 

After what seemed like a short while but was probably longer – there was so much information – Rodney looked at his watch.

 

“Oh my God! Is that the time?” he said, getting up, “I have to go, early morning, see you around.” And he paid the bill and was gone.

 

John was slightly disappointed, but not two minutes after Rodney was gone another guy took his place.

 

“Who was that?” he asked, sitting in Rodney’s now vacant seat.

 

John shrugged. This guy had dark brown eyes, dark skin and long slender fingers.

 

“My place is five minutes from here,” he told this new guy.

 

The guy nodded. “Lets go,” he said.

 

Guy’s where always easier. They’d be kissing furiously before they reached the bedroom and the sex was fast, hard and dirty. He was gone the next morning. He didn’t even know his name and didn’t really care. He’d come with the image of startling blue eyes dark with pleasure burned across his closed lids.

 

***

 

It was the same every time. He’d go into Joe’s, depressed and exhausted, regretting his choice of taking a real job instead of joining the Air Force. He might’ve even enjoyed the last fifteen years

 

So he’d sit at the bar and drink until everything was blurry around the edges and then Rodney would approach him. 

 

“Kavanagh is an idiot,” he said, slipping in to the chair next to him.

 

This was beginning to be too familiar. _Rodney_ was beginning to be too familiar. He knew more about this man than he’s ever known about anyone else. It terrified him.

 

“Let’s get out of here,” he suddenly said.

 

“What?” Rodney asked, “can I at least get a beer first?” 

 

“There’s beer at my place.” he said although they both knew if they made it to his place, beer drinking wasn’t one of the things they’ll be doing.

 

“Oh,” said Rodney, sounding a little sad, “alright.”

 

The moment they were in the apartment, John pushed Rodney against the door, kissing furiously, clothes pulled of haphazardly, but the sex was slow, soft and bittersweet; large warm hands on his arms, shoulders, hips and the perfect blue eyes, never meeting his.

 

He was gone the next morning, and John punched the mattress and cursed himself, before getting up for work.

 

***

 

It was the same every time. He’d go into Joe’s, depressed and exhausted, regretting his choice of taking Rodney home. He could’ve been happy.

 

So he’d sit at the bar and drink until everything was blurry around the edges and then someone would approach him. 

 

“Hi.” she said, sitting down. She had long, wavy, black hair and blue eyes; not an exact match, but close enough.

 

“Listen, before you say anything else, don’t bother,” he told her, taking a swig from his bottle.

 

“I’m sure it’s not- ” she tried.

 

“I said: I’m not in the mood!” he yelled and the already hushed tavern became silent. He felt all eyes on him.

 

He stood up suddenly and the girl flinched as if he’d raised a hand to hit her.

 

“John- ” Joe said, reproachingly. 

 

John turned his head but he didn’t need to see the expression on Joe’s face to know what he meant. He nodded and left.

 

That night he fell asleep angry and unsatisfied. 

 

***

 

It was the same every time. He’d go into Joe’s, depressed and exhausted, regretting his choice of letting Rodney go. He was too afraid to seek Rodney out and Rodney was probably too hurt to see him again. After all, he’d treated him like any other person he might pick up at the bar. They might have had something, but now it was too late

 

So he’d sit at the bar and drink until everything was blurry around the edges and then someone would approach him. 

 

“Is this seat taken?” the young blond said.

 

He shook his head and she sat down.

 

“I’m Jane,” she said.

 

“John.” he replied, sending a smile that was sure to make her knees go weak.

 

“Do I know you from somewhere?”

 

“Maybe,” he said, “we could go to my place and discuss it.” There was a lift just after the last word, making it sound more like a question.

 

“Sure.” 

 

It was as simple as that. They’d be kissing furiously before they reached the bedroom and the sex was fast, hard and dirty and he’d come with the image of blue eyes burned across his closed lids. She’d always be gone the next morning.

 

***

 

It was the same every time but he never saw Rodney again.


End file.
